Apparatus for feeding rod-shaped articles in a packaging machine

Abstract

An apparatus for feeding rod-shaped articles includes a hopper having at least one mouth for dispensing the articles, subdivided by vertical walls parallel to each other forming vertical channels positioned side by side, each accommodating a stack of the articles At a position above an upper edge of each wall is positioned a cylindrical roller oscillating in both directions about its axis parallel to the axes of the articles for facilitating entry in the channels. The axis of each roller is offset laterally in a horizontal direction relative to the upper edge of the wall below and adjacent to it, and the upper edges of the walls relative to each channel are positioned at different levels such that the width of the passage defined between each pair of adjacent rollers lying above the walls of the channel is slightly greater than the diameter of the article.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for feeding rod-shaped articles in a packaging machine, comprising:
 a hopper including a lower portion with at least one mouth for dispensing rod-shaped articles, wherein the hopper is subdivided by a plurality of walls vertically oriented and parallel to each other to create channels vertically oriented and positioned side by side horizontally, each for accommodating internally a stack of rod-shaped articles, each wall of the plurality of walls including an upper end surface extending for an entire horizontal width of the wall; 
 a plurality of rollers, with each roller of the plurality of rollers positioned at a level immediately above a level of an upper end surface of a respective wall of the plurality of walls, each roller having a cylindrical shape and oscillating in two opposite directions about an axis of the roller, the axis of the roller being parallel to an axis of each of the rod-shaped articles for facilitating entry into the channels, each pair of adjacent rollers defining a passage therebetween for the rod-shaped articles; 
 wherein the axis of each roller is offset laterally in a horizontal direction relative to the upper end surface of the respective wall below and adjacent to the roller to such an extent that the axis of each roller is located above a vertical projection of an upper opening of a respective channel below, so as to allow the rod-shaped articles to enter into the upper openings of the channels, the upper end surfaces of the walls of the plurality of walls relative to each channel of each mouth of the hopper are positioned at different levels such that a width of the passage defined between each pair of adjacent rollers lying above the walls of the plurality of walls relative to each channel is slightly greater than a diameter of the rod-shaped articles; 
 wherein, for each mouth, the walls of the plurality of walls which are located between a central part of the mouth and at least one side of the mouth have a decreasing height from at least a central wall, located at the central part of the mouth, towards the at least one side of the mouth. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the hopper is subdivided into a plurality of mouths positioned side by side horizontally. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper end surfaces of the plurality of walls relative to each mouth of the hopper have different heights. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the axes of the rollers relative to each mouth are positioned on sides of a virtual isosceles trapezoid having a large base horizontal and located at a bottom of the plurality of walls. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the sides of the isosceles trapezoid are inclined relative to the large base of the trapezoid by an angle of between 25° and 85°. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the sides of the isosceles trapezoid are inclined relative to the large base of the trapezoid by an angle equal to 58°. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the axes of the rollers relative to each mouth are positioned on an inclined virtual straight line. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each roller includes a cylindrical lateral surface positioned tangential to a vertical plane in which a lateral surface of one of the walls of the plurality of walls adjacent and below the roller lies. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of walls have a decreasing height from the at least the central wall, located at a central part of the mouth, towards opposite sides of the mouth. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the upper end surfaces of the plurality of walls are positioned at a decreasing vertical position from the at least the central wall towards the opposite sides of the mouth. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper end surfaces of the plurality of walls are positioned at a decreasing vertical position from the at least the central wall towards opposite sides of the mouth. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of walls have a decreasing height from one side of the mouth towards an opposite side of the mouth. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the upper end surfaces of the plurality of walls are positioned at a decreasing vertical position from the one side of the mouth towards the opposite side of the mouth. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper end surfaces of the plurality of walls are positioned at a decreasing vertical position from one side of the mouth towards an opposite side of the mouth. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper end surfaces of the plurality of walls are positioned at a decreasing vertical position from the at least the central wall towards the at least one side of the mouth.